Dead
by lilRamenNsushiNinja
Summary: Naruto used to live a normal life; he went to school, had friends he could trust, went to the occasional party, played his xbox until the sun leaked through his curtains, slept in past twelve every weekend - Naruto was an average teenage boy. Sasuke had always been unsociable so when the undead began to rise he found no trouble with killing them...continued summary inside. SasuNaru
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, finally uploaded this. Been working on it for AGES and I've put A LOT of effort and would appreciate it if someone could give me feed back on your opinion and whether I should continue with this story. I've actually got a plan from this as my first story I didn't actually have one. Hey-ho! I learn from my mistakes! lol**

**I was inspired after going to the cinema with my boyfriend of V-day to see...wait for it...that's right: WARM BODIES! I TOTALLY recommend it!**

**Summary: **

_Naruto used to live a normal life; he went to school, had friends he could trust, went to the occasional party, played his xbox until the sun leaked through his curtains, slept in past twelve every weekend - Naruto was an average teenage boy. But now: he fears for his life nearly every minute, fights to survive, has trust issues, no one to call his friend and only ever sleeps when his body forces him to. He does things now that he never would have done before - scavenges, loats, steals, and kills. Its not like Naruto had a choice - it was either that or be turned into a rotting, undead, unfeeling and flesh-eating corpse: because in this apocalypse it was a choice between living as a human or a zombie._

Sasuke had always been unsociable so when the undead began to rise and his neighbours began to fall into comatosis-like states, die then return as living corpses: he never found any difficulty in killing off and surviving the apocalypse. He had never been attached to anybody before; he never had friends or family and never trusted anybody with anything - especially his life. So when it came to killing zombies to survive, Sasuke switched himself off with ease and began to lose all of his humanity, even when surviving humans stumbled upon him with the hope of protection, he shot them down or brought them along to that he could use them as bait: knowing sooner or later that they would join the army of undead corpses. Sasuke didn't change much - he only grew in strength and heightened his senses in order to go one living.

As the two struggle against the zombies: their paths cross and they begin to learn that two is better than one, and that maybe trusting each other and trying to look for a safe civilisation might be for the best.

**P.S. I unfortunately do NOT own Naruto. I guess that leaves me with the plot! XD**

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Chapter 1 - Unexpected Meeting

No shuffling footsteps. No groans or moans. No aggressive growls. No crunching or cracking of bones, ripping and tearing of flesh.

All clear.

Blonde hair and blue eyes peeked over the empty red car, eyes searching in every direction for any dangerous flesh-eating beings but upon finding no threats to his existence; the teen tiptoed around the metal vehicle before sneaking expertly towards his target: a door of a small and cheap looking corner shop. Azure eyes peered through the dusty and red stained glass on the top half of the door, ignoring the blood smeared closed sign. Holding in his breath, a tanned hand clasped around the door handle, pulling down, until the door stiffly opened with an encouraging yet gentle shove from the teens shoulder.

The sudden dig of the bell above the door nearly made the small blonde teen's heart jump out of his chest before his whole body froze: his only moving appendage being his arms to aim his double barrel shotgun into the internal space of the shop. But upon no noise or movement to signal a hungry, human craving beast lurking in the shadows of the shop, the small blonde lowered his only weapon a few inches before edging timidly inside the almost destroyed shop.

Once the door was securely shut behind him, a breath that had been held captive in his lungs was released in the relief. He was safe. Safe from them. Well, at least for now he was.

The teen cursed, "Jezz, Nar! Keep it together!" he told himself as he opened up his old drawstring bag as he made his way to the confectionery section of the shop; experience told him that chocolate and sweets not only had a better best before date but also that they gave you plenty of energy for when you are running for your life while being chased by a horde of man-eating zombies.

'Nar' tried his best to ignore his train of thought, he block it out by concentrating on looking for other edible items with a handy best before date, "B.B.D., B.B.D., B.B.D...Ha, 2014 bitches!" He cheered stuffing the large chocolate bar into his bag then he moved on to the next items sitting on the shelf. After helping himself to the confectionery and bottles of water; 'Nar' was walking past the till when he paused, azure eyes gazing towards the large metal, box-like contraption in wonder before he manoeuvred himself to he stood behind what had previously been the checkout point in the small shop before the shit hit the fan in the form of walking dead people. Looking over all the buttons, the teen's little pink tongue pushed itself between his lips in concentration as he let his hands brush against each key. Digging deep into his memories, 'Nar' briefly recalled him buying instant ramen here: he had stood at the till, watching the stocky owner of the shop place his items into a plastic bag, pressing some buttons...

"Yes!"

The till's drawer opened a little, waiting for the teen to help it so that the draw could open fully and was surprised to see the till half full. Just staring at all the money laying inside it gave way to let guilt claw its way up to the blonde's throat; tightening and strangling his esophagus making it hard for him to swallow the guilt back down. 'Nar' had always been against stealing. Hell - he was very much against the idea of killing people but could they be considered people? 'Nar' didn't think so. Taking food from shops or what used to be people's homes was different - without the food 'Nar' would have died long ago. Besides it wasn't like if anybody was around to eat it. So was taking money no one else was going to use from an abandoned till considered stealing? There was no one to stop him, no one to catch him red-handed, no one to arrest him and no one to jail him. What was stopping him?

The last remains of his morals? The fact that he hated thieves? Would he hate himself for committing what could be called a robbery?

The next thing he knew, he was tying up his bag, slinging it on his shoulders and positioning his gun ready to aim and fire at any threats that came into his line of vision. With the comforting weight of a half full bag on his back gave 'Nar' a bounce in his step, knowing that he didn't need to worry about where he'd find his next meal for at least a week if he ate what he scavenged in small rations.

'Nar' sneered at himself, glaring disgustingly at his feet, 'Scavenging, huh? Is that what you've been degraded yourself to? A scavenger?' and somehow, the picture of a sly and greedy fox came into his mind. Pausing, his sky blue eyes looked down at himself as he played around with the hem of his dirty and stained t-shirt, his middle finger hooking the fabric and pulling it upwards, revealing his sickly thin torso. He could faintly see his hip bones poking out from his low hanging jeans and some of his rips. 'An abnormally small and skinny fox.' he depressing mind added as 'Nar' unhooked his finger to let the t-shirt fall.

Just as 'Nar' was about to sling the strap of his shotgun over his free shoulder, his heart sank as a sound that should only exist in your nightmares or the deepest depths of hell. All of the colour drained from his face and his eyes doubled in size as terror seeped into his whole body. Instinct caused his to reach for his gun and spin on the point to aim at the source only to freeze.

What stood behind him was the biggest, largest hoard of zombies that not even his imagination could conjure up. There must have been at the most a hundred - the grandest group 'Nar' had stumbled upon was back in the Iwagakure and there was only around thirty. 'Nar' had barely gotten out of that mess alive.

Before any of the undead could make a move to advance towards the quivering boy, he had forced himself out of his fear and was running blindly away from the horde cursing his mantra of swears as he ran as fast as his legs would carry him.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit..." chanted the teen, his chants in sync with the slapping beats his feet made of the ground, "...shit!" 'Nar' finished; his voice increasing by a few octaves and cracking up at the end as tears collected in his eyes.

The teen turn turned a corner only to quickly perform an impressive u-turn when he realised that it was a dead-end and run in the opposite direction. As 'Nar' ran, his panicked blue eyes spotted a building sitting at the bottom of the hill he was sprinting down. It was large in structure and had a modern yet sophisticated architecture, and as 'Nar' got closer to it, the more heavenly and sanctuary-like it looked. Pushing more power into his legs, blue eyes locked on their target as the blonde silently prayed - although why he was and to what god he had no clue.

"Come on...come on!" the teen pushed when he started to feel his legs turning numb and his feet becoming heavier and heavier every time his feet left the cracked concrete. His breaths came out harshly along with the hard intakes of breaths to fuel his brain and muscles, and the main sound drowning out the frustrated groans and hungry shuffling from behind him was the rapid and wild heartbeats thundering in his ears.

When the teen realised that he was going to make it and that he knew that inside that building was safety, a tear fell from the corner of his eye and slide down his bumpy, scarred cheek and jump off his jaw.

* * *

The raven stood in the gateway, looking down at the large building before his cold and dark orbs drifted away to analyse the rest of the surrounding area. To the left of the building was a large, inclosed football field with more than a few metal frames with nets attached to them. Next to that was a rugby pitch which doubled as a running track. Surrounding - what the raven thought was a school, were several benches and tables that would have been used as a lunch table for the students. All around the school was a large walk way leading around the full perimeter of the building.

The raven's alert and analysing black eyes locked back to the old school building, narrowing in thought as he calmly took the stairs leading from the broken and beaten back gate to the impressive modern styled school. In the raven's time and from experience: the eighteen year old had lucky when it came to these old schools - there were usually a small amount of edible food, weapons from different teaching departments and water filled plastic tubs with a bottle-top lid from the old water machines in their lunch halls. Shopping centres or even just the small shops were abundant in food and clothes as well.

The raven didn't exactly need these things at the moment but they would come in handy later when everything like food, water and ammunition ran out. The teen often found himself comparing his actions to that of a raven's. The only exception being that he didn't take things that looked pretty and shiny but were useless, the teen took items that he deemed necessary to prolong his survival in this disaster of a world.

The raven's grip found his katana to ready himself for what hid behind one of the back doors to the school. Using his free hand, he pulled open what he guessed was the school's fire exit and propped it open with his shoe to examine the long corridor presented in front of his charcoal eyes. Licking his lips, the raven made no hesitation to call down the corridor, his whistle echoing and bouncing off the empty and silent walls. Standing patiently, the older teen hummed to himself before stepping inside, letting the door shut behind him when no other sound met his ears. The exit door heavily closed with a loud bang that reverberated along the corridor, however the raven's presence no longer blessed the corridor as he had made a sharp turn into one of the rooms: a home economic store cupboard filled with foods and cooking supplies like pot, pans, knives and utensils.

Humming to himself approvingly, the older teen removed his holdall from his shoulder opening the zip and left it by the door. Taking the few steps that were needed to reach the cupboards above the counters, he pulled them open, examining everything from their edibility to their smell. Since this was a school, the raven had found many dry ingredients for recipes such as flour and sugar, potatoes, onions and dried lentils, beans and peas as well a good amount of pasta. The raven also grabbed a pan so that he could cook a wide variety of meals and a fairly large bottle of cooking oil nearing it best before date: only a few months away. But he could work with it. The raven could use the oil rationally and re-use it too. It would last longer that way.

Pleased with his findings, the raven zipped up his bag and decided he'd better look around for other useful things. He might even stay the night if the raven deems the old school safe and secure enough. Pushing on the raven inspected the ground floor. Looking for the staggering, stumbling and shuffling undead corpses and exterminating the few that had stayed in this school.

After a good half hour, the raven found himself on a balcony like space outside the library. It had a tolerable view so the raven stood by the stone barrier around the balcony, closing his eyes and letting a small breeze brush against his face and dance with his black locks framing his face. Breathing in the wind, the teen ignored the smell of rotted corpses and burned cars or houses, relishing in the fresher feeling of the air from this height. He listened to the breeze blissfully: it's soft whistle and soothing voice, the rustling of autumn leaves that dragged across the pavement or clung desperately to their assigned branches. But it was peaceful.

'Rare to find...' The teen mused as he drunk in last remains of sweetness. He reluctantly returned to the inside of the library and to the shelters of the empty and lonely corridors, passing by doors to old classrooms and staff rooms where cups of cold coffee sat: untouched and alone. It was when the raven was reaching the stairs to led him to the last, highest floor when all of a sudden.

"Aaahhh!"

A blood curdling scream and a clashing crash was heard from beneath the floor the raven stood on. With speed almost natural to the raven, he flew down the corridor's stairs to the ground floor and towards the direction the scream came from all the while keeping himself alert.

"Fucking - ! Gah!" an exhausted voice cursed before a shot rang out. Followed by another. A curse then reload. Then another. And another. A round of cursed tailing the gunshots and a set of sprinting footsteps slapping against the hard floor of the school's corridor.

The raven was just nearing a corner when a kid, younger than himself, slid around the corner on his knees only to quickly position himself to face down the direction he had come to fire a round of shots, "Die zombie fuckers!" He snapped as he pulled out a sphere-like object, pulled out a ring attached to the tip with his pearly whites and threw it in front of him only to take cover behind the wall belonging to the corridor of the raven was running in.

An explosion and a cloud of dust and rubble billowed out of the corridor and the sound of concrete and more rubble collapsing and tumbling met his ears.

The blonde kid stood, wiping his hands on his thighs and slinging his shotgun on his shoulder just as the raven came to a stop and stood; watching the boy with a composed mask upon his porcelain face as he coldly stared at the boy.

Apparently, he had not been noticed in the younger teen peripheral vision so when the blonde turned to unknowingly face the raven and when his crystal blue eyes landed on coal orbs; the boy's whole being stiffened and his eyes widened to twice the size they had been previously and his mouth lay open in what the raven guessed to be shock. It has most likely been months since the kid had laid eyes on another homosapien.

The golden-haired boy was not only the one to stand in surprise. The raven obviously had anticipated in the possibility of meeting the one who emitted the scream earlier on but he hadn't prepared himself for actually seeing them not being torn into like a three-year old child with a McDonalds Happy Meal. But unlike the blonde, the raven didn't feel happy, relieved or giddy at all. In fact he felt sullen, grumpy and detached from the stranger in front of him: and he clearly showed it on his face. Secretly he was fuming and seething at the fact that he had to blessed with acquainting himself with the boy. He would have been perfectly content with the absence of another human being because that would save him becoming attached and having to converse with the person. There was, however, that little itch in the back of his mind say that having some company wouldn't be all that bad - if he met the right person he might be able to make use of their unique and aiding abilities.

Maybe that person was this blonde kid.

But that blonde kid so absorbed on the raven teen three feet in front of him; taking in every little detail from his jet black hair to the estimated size of his feet that he was totally unaware of and oblivious of the flesh-eater stalking around the corner towards the boy.

Luckily for the young teen, the corpse never got within arms length of him before it's head had been expertly pierced through it's right eye and brain: the katana only centimetres away from the his head.

His ears picked up what would have been a sharp intake of breath but instead of a gasp the edged inhale of air caught in the boy's tan throat.

The sick, yet pleasing, sound of the raven's sword sliding out of the now dead zombie's head was music to the older teen's ears and he watched blankly as the corpse fell to it's knees and landed off to the blonde's left; landing with a dead thud.

The eighteen year-old removed his katana from the kid's personal space before wiping off the black and brown marbled liquid with a soft cloth tied to the wide, leather belt that held the katana's sheath before slowly sliding it in: curve down.

Not even a minute had passed when the older teen watched ocean eyes roll up, his legs weakly shake and his knees give out. The boy swayed slightly to the left with the intention of passing out only for the raven's pale arms to shoot out to catch the body falling his way.

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**Please review as they make me happy and help to improve and correct my faults.**

**A Katana (if no one knows) is a Japanese sword.**

**If there are any questions don't hold back and don't hesitate to ask.**

**Hope to see you soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh, hello again! :)**

**I'm back with the 2nd chapter! I was kind of shocked and...surprised to see how many people actually read and reviewed my story, followed and favourited it as well! I BIG thanks to everyone who read and took the time to review! I really appreciate it! X)**

**I shall not keep you long! I love ya all!**

**Summary:**

_Naruto used to live a normal life; he went to school, had friends he could trust, went to the occasional party, played his xbox until the sun leaked through his curtains, slept in past twelve every weekend - Naruto was an average teenage boy. But now: he fears for his life nearly every minute, fights to survive, has trust issues, no one to call his friend and only ever sleeps when his body forces him to. He does things now that he never would have done before - scavenges, loats, steals, and kills. Its not like Naruto had a choice - it was either that or be turned into a rotting, undead, unfeeling and flesh-eating corpse: because in this apocalypse it was a choice between living as a human or a zombie._

Sasuke had always been unsociable so when the undead began to rise and his neighbours began to fall into comatosis-like states, die then return as living corpses: he never found any difficulty in killing off and surviving the apocalypse. He had never been attached to anybody before; he never had friends or family and never trusted anybody with anything - especially his life. So when it came to killing zombies to survive, Sasuke switched himself off with ease and began to lose all of his humanity, even when surviving humans stumbled upon him with the hope of protection, he shot them down or brought them along to that he could use them as bait: knowing sooner or later that they would join the army of undead corpses. Sasuke didn't change much - he only grew in strength and heightened his senses in order to go one living.

As the two struggle against the zombies: their paths cross and they begin to learn that two is better than one, and that maybe trusting each other and trying to look for a safe civilisation might be for the best.

**It is unfortunate to announce that I DO NOT own Naruto, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Belongs to Robert Louis Stevenson), My Last Duchess and Porphyria's Lover (Both by Robert Browning)!**

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Chapter 2 - The Saviour  
**  
**For at least five minutes, the pale teen just stood and awkwardly glancing from the end of the corridor that seemed longer than it should be and to the top of golden, messy locks: irritation and annoyance clouding his uncertainty toward the situation he was presented with.

Now he could go two ways. He could leave the boy here and possibly let him be eaten alive or walk out of here alone. He could pretend it never happened and the blonde could conclude that he fainted from the explosion or fatigue and maybe even convince himself that the raven was an illusion created from his tired body and mind. That way, the eighteen year-old could stay comfortable and happy. His undefeated walls would stay strong and untouched and unwavering. No one would attempt to knock them down and send them crashing into nothingness.

Or...

Glaring down at the boy and grinding his teeth together, the raven centred all of his angered on the golden teen before grumbling and taking the boy's drawstring bag and shotgun to sling on his shoulder along with the raven's own holdall, and hooked one arm under the teen's knees and the other tucked under his shoulders. Glowering ahead of himself, the raven was about to walk back to where he had previously been which was the library on the middle floor, which was the library on the middle floor, when he realised something.

How was he meant to go upstairs when he couldn't A: see his own feet and B: had extra weight to carry? Stopping in his tracks he chewed at his bottom lip in thought before wandering passed the corridor 'Blondie' had come from,, to find an unlocked staff lounge or classroom or any room which had a fully operating door: he had came across some broken doors that had been ripped down by a couple of - - or just one - - undead corpses in the past. That was the trouble with the ground floor that the raven had noticed almost straight away: nearly all the doors were missing, lying on the floor in the rooms or were lucky enough to be intact but had the unfortunate flaw of having the unfortunate flaw of having large chunks and gaping holes in the middle of what was once fine wood. But as you descended the stairs,the stairs, the doors were less weak and destroyed, and the majority were still intact which was helpful.

The raven had passed by an elevator (obviously for the people who had previously went to the school who may have broken a leg or another injury that would have caused them great difficulty climbing stairs who may have broken a leg or another injury that would have caused them great difficulty climbing stairs) and stared at it longingly: wishing that the electricity was still being powered so he could get to the second floor, before mentally shaking himself to concentrate on his present task of finding a secure room to be his temporary 'safe house'.

As if his wishes had been answered, he came across what he guessed was a staff lounge if the cheap sofa and kitchenette was anything to go by. It's door had been left ajar and was sturdy enough to withstand a zombie or too with the plus of it having a lock on the inside. Maneuvering around the door once his foot had nudged it open, he used the same foot to close it behind him and leaned against the solid surface to build up some more strength and balance and balance before tiredly shuffling towards the closest sofa and weakly lying the blonde on it before backtracking to the door to turn the lock.

Trying his luck one more time, the teen glided to the kitchenette, hoping that there were some left over biscuits or edible food to eat. He was only peckish but it was important to stock up when presented with a possible opportunity.

Flicking his gaze to the blonde teen, the raven faintly wondered if this was an opportunity itself. He could experience the process of experience the process of making a friend. They could chat, joke and - maybe if they found a pack of cards or a board game for two - they could play together. It couldn't be that hard: when the older teen had went to school, he had automatically gained friends because of his money, looks and reputation. He never even called them friends before the shit hit the fan but looking back: was that what you called friendship?

Or, perhaps they could chat, joke and - maybe if they found a pack of cards or a board game for two - they could play together. It couldn't be that hard: when the older teen had went to school, he had automatically gained friends because of his money, looks and reputation. He never even called them friends before the shit hit the fan but looking back: was that what you called friendship?

Maybe, the smaller teen had skills differing from the raven''s which could come in handy. He might be better at things the paler teen found challenging (although there wasn't a large range of tasks the raven couldn't do).

Then again, the smaller teen could be completely useless and a complete waste of time. But that was something the ebony haired teen had plenty of since he wasn't exactly going anywhere.

He might be the one to gain something out of this.

Scoffing, the raven thought, 'Like what? It isn't like there is anything I could get...definately not a pass into heaven if I die without getting bitten. No god would allow such a world disaster to happen.'

Sourly he continued with his search of food.

* * *

The scratching of pages turning and scribbles of pen on paper was the only sound in the room as 'Nar' 'Nar' sat by a large bookshelf, his cerulean blue eyes scanning and absorbing all of his notes and quotes from the assigned novel and poems: 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson' and Robert Browning's two poems 'My Last Duchess' and 'Porphyria's Lover' (Although the second poem was a mere back up compared to the first)

Many of his classmates disliked all the novels, poems and dramas they were forced to read but unlike them: 'Nar' had always loved English. So far everything he had read had already found a comfortable place in his short-term memory but 'Nar' prefered taking extra precautions when it came to his exams: he was found studying to prove his teachers how well a 'Knuckle-head' like himself could exceed in his studies. He didn't studying when it came to other subjects but with English...he found himself being absorbed into the black and white, printed art.

He was almost so absorbed in memorising his quotes and speaking them aloud now and then, that he never heard the noise of nails scraping against wood and the gurgling moans coming from the office joined into the library's left wall by a single door. But after minutes of pointless gurgling, it stopped only for it to be replaced with crashes, sobs and a blood curdling scream that ricocheted off the office walls. Sadly no else would hear the poor assistants screams or attempts at escaping the prison walls prison walls.

'Nar' was on the other side of the library and the view of the librarian's office was obscured by the large bookcase he sat in front of; crossed-legged and head bent to read the papers scattered in a half circle surrounding him. surrounding him.

Bleep, brrrrv, bleep, brrrrv, brrrv!

The sudden noises that erupted from his phone in his blazer pocket lying on the floor beside him beside him brought him out of his studying and he tapped his touchscreen phone to read it but was confused to see the blank screen. It must have been his battery running out not a text running out not a text...

Chancing a glance up at the clock directly facing him on the opposite wall, he let out a quiet sigh at the thought of him having to leave at the thought of him having to leave and carefully gathered his papers before he before he stood, rolling out the knots in his shoulders and stretching causing his back to let out uncomfortable cracks. Putting his papers in his bag as he turned to walk around the large wall of books to tell the librarian that he was leaving since before she had disappeared into her office to rest; complaining of tiredness and a headache before retiring to her office she shared with her assistant. While stuffing his English jotter in his school bag, the blonde made his way over to the young woman's office when he clocked the blood smeared glass on the door.

Moments passed only consisting of the terrified but curious blue eyes glued to the blood on the glass and the mess behind it.

He couldn't help but run many scenario-like movie clips in his mind of what could have taken place behind the office door; a madman from the streets could have sneaked past him and locked himself inside the office door and massacred the assistant librarian and the woman herself, or it could have been the assistant who could have gone psycho on the librarian and stabbed her repeatedly with her pen: giving the woman ink poisoning and killing her -

A crow's warning call from outside the open window to his right caused 'Nar' to jump and glare at the black feathered creature before looking back towards the door.

Shaking away the horrible thoughts that could have continued to get worse and worse if he hadn't been brought out of his daunting thoughts, he forced himself to take a deep, shaky distressed breath, 'Nar' edged closer, hesitant shuffles dragging across the carpet as he neared the office door.

Before he knew it he was at the door, hand gripping the handle with a knuckle-whiting, iron grip around it's smooth surface.

Taking another deep breath, his grip tightened as he pulled down on the handle, slowly and cautiously until -

Crash!

A choked and strangled gasp entered his throat unexpectedly as ocean blue eyes snapped open and the upper half of his body shot up, his tan arms shooting out to balance himself at his sudden movement. His eyes darted around the unfamiliar room, looking for the sound that dragged him from his nightmare and found it standing in the kitchen; looking into a cupboard whose weak and over-plied weak and over-plied shelves had collapsed, causing everything it had held to crash onto the counter and floor. But when the boy's eyes met the cold black orbs he froze. Confusion shone through his eyes clearly while he tried to think back to before he passed out but everything was a blur. He remembered his vision beginning to grow cloudy and dark before completely black. But 'Nar''Nar' also remembered his heavy eyes opening, the sound of footsteps and breathing: but they sounded like as if as if 'Nar' was underwater and the sounds were above him and him and the surface. Then there was nothing but the desperate need for sleep and it dominating his consciousness.

Unwillingly, his mind drifted back to his nightmare and although it was an actual memory, 'Nar' didn't hesitate to call it a nightmare because he preferred it to be a nightmare. It meant that he didn't actually have to admit it really took place because he preferred it to be a nightmare. It meant that he didn't actually have to admit it really took place. But even the thoughts and flashbacks caused his tan hands to shake which But even the thoughts and flashbacks caused his tan hands to shake which 'Nar' hid them by hid them by running them through his unruly blonde locks, unintentionally catching a few tugs here and there. The repetitive pattern of inhaling and exhaling that he had learned was an effective way of soothing him, that he had learned was an effective way of soothing him, calmed his nerves as his banished the images of his real nightmare real nightmare before locking eyes with the other occupant of the room.

At first, the blonde teen had no clue on what to say or ask the other. It was hard since he hadn't seen another proper human being in months, not since the apocalypse hit it's optimum and spread it's chaos around the globe.

But there was one question that the boy did want to know now: "How..." 'Nar' began but paused to clear the grogginess and sleep ridden grumble from his throat before trying again before trying again, "...how long have I been out?" he asked, since from the looks of it, it was still during the day so it couldn't have been long: an hour or so perhaps he guessed he guessed.

"A day, maybe more. You collapsed from exhaustion...and shock." the raven answered offhandedly, adding the last detail in a faint apologetic tone to his smooth voice while he taking a few steps back to crouch down, picking up the cans and sachets of food and stretching his arm up to place them on the kitchenette counter.

'Nar', despite his mild surprise, nodded at the raven's reply, his mind slightly numb with the surprise. 'I was out that long...if that had been me when no one was around: I could be dead...I could have been one of them...' the blonde teen thought, the horror of the "what if's" disturbing him slightly before he turned to the raven teen and realised something. 'This guy had possibly just saved my life...' he pondered, disbelief clearly in his crystal eyes. It wasn't that he didn't believe the older teen had carried him all the way here. It was that he had unknowingly been in the balance of life and death. 'Nar' had placed his own life in the pale hands that were now carrying the cans of food to a holdall sitting by the window on the left of him - a complete and utter stranger who could have just left him there to save his own skin. This stranger risked his own neck to help 'Nar' when he needed it most: when he was most vulnerable.

This ebony haired teen was his saviour.

The raven could have raided his drawstring bag for food, stole his weapon, used him as a distraction to lure out zombies or even sacrifice him. Hell, he had even heard of people getting raped when they had stumbled across another person.

It was then that azure eyes, not so discreetly, gave the raven a suspicious glare, watching as he zipped his bag back up, 'He doesn't look like a rapist...' he inwardly contemplated, 'but how can I tell the difference? It not's like I have met any and I don't have a sixth sense for this kinda stuff...'

With his lip between his teeth and a look of uncertainty on his features, 'Nar' guessed that there was only one way he was going to find out the truth. Taking a breath the blonde teen pounced.

"Are you a rapist?"

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**Big thanks to reviewers:**

_**Reviews to Master, AnimeMusicYaoi, Awesomenessknowsnobounds, AiMila, rAiNwAtEr, and sugardash!**_

**You guys are AWESOME!**

**See ya!**

**P.S. Sorry if this was mucked up. There may and may not be some random sentences repeating themselves! I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! My Google Doc's was being stupid...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! Long time no see I guess!**

**Sorry for the slight delay! I got piled with homework and it all took longer that I thought -_-**

**Also, because I live with my papa (bless his cotton socks), my mum came over today to teach me how to make Chicken Carbonara, and I got to spend more quality time with her and my little sister which was great! X)**

**Any-who! Lets get back to chapter 3, I had quite a lot of fun writing this chapter and I hope you like it too. I love writing this soft and squishy side to Sasuke X) Makes me like the evil little sh*t a bit more than in the anime. **

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Chapter 3 - A New Friendship

The raven's body froze as his strangely sluggish brain tried to process the insinuation the blonde boy had implied. With stiff movements, the older teen turned his head to gawk at the blond, "What!?" the teen's voice tumbled out of the mouth before he could stop it, "N-No!"

The blonde's ocean eyes bore into the wide black orbs as he frowned, suspicion clearly set in his gaze, "Then why'd you bring me here?"

Taken aback, the older teen composed himself before thinking of an acceptable answer, "You passed out." He told the blonde, watching his tan face for his reaction and reply.

"That I know already." he said before continuing, "I want to know why you brought me here. You must have a reason."

Narrowing his eyes the raven replied, his voice even and levelled, "And you thought that I was going to bring you here to...rape you?" A nod was received, "Wouldn't it have been more plausible if I had raped you while you were out? That way you couldn't have done anything to -"

Shooting to his feet, the younger teen stumbled back and stared into his jet orbs, his shaking hand pointed at the raven, "Oh my kami! You did rape me! Y-You rap-ped me while I-I-I was o-out!" He all but screamed at the raven, who immediately slapped his hand over the blonde's mouth.

His hard glare burned into the wide and scared eyes, "Are you stupid? With the amount of noise you have made: we'll be lucky to get -" the raven was brought to an abrupt stop when a knee collided with the area between his legs. Automatically, his hand that had been previously attached to the younger teen's mouth flew to cup in between his legs and his body doubled over. A strangled gasp caught in his slender throat at the amount of pain he felt as it travelled up to the pit of his stomach and the unbearable pain intensified. All the raven teen could do was double over and try to withhold the nauseating and blinding pain he felt in the lower half of his body; he eyes bulging out and his mouth hanging loose.

While in this paralytic state, the cerulean eyes darted frantically around the room searching for his shotgun when it came into view: propped up against the wall under the window. Sprinting for his weapon, the blonde grabbed the cool metal and aimed it directly at the ebony haired teen, his hands shaking uncontrollably and his breath coming out in harsh and hollow breaths. Crystal eyes never left the raven's back, fearing that it they chanced to glance away the older of the two would do something although - from past experience and from the blow the golden-haired boy had hit him with - he doubted that the raven would be able to move for at least and good few minutes. Grimacing at the thought of the pain the older teen was currently suffering, pity and guilt reflecting in his sea blue depths.

"F-f...uck..." whispered the raven, his pain evident in his brittle and guttural tone, "Ahh-ahh...ha..." he rasped out as he stumbled towards the sofa the blonde boy had previously occupied with one hand to support him. He stood doubled over, his knees brought together and his other hand cupping his balls, his head hung as he tried to even out his inconstant breathing as he attempted at standing fully erect. Tears began to bead in the corners and ducts of his eyes and tumble and slide down his smooth, pale cheeks.

Timidly the tanned boy shuffled closer to the other male, his shotgun still help and aimed at the paler teen, "A-are you...okay?" he asked quietly, edging around the teen to get a look at him.

Hissing, the blonde's met his reply, "Do I look o-okay to y-you?..." the raven haired teen snapped, sending a glare the blonde's way, it's fiery embers burning through the coal orbs.

Looking sheepish, the teen lower his shotgun and slung it's leather strap over his shoulder while walked over to the paler boy, bending to inspect his face, "No." he answered, his tone flat and matter-of-fact as he guided the raven into a standing position, "Sorry, I didn't mean to hit you -" he began but he missed the raven's evil smirk and mischievousness glinting in the black orbs and before he knew it he was the one doubling over instead of the pale skinned teen, "Gaaa-ahh-hh!" he croaked out roughly as his own hands went to his balls.

"Hn. It's what you deserve." the raven said tonelessly as the younger boy fell to his knees and to the floor, adopting a foetal position on the carpeted floor.

Golden locks covered the teen face as he stared aimlessly at the green carpet and allowed the drops of pained tears to fall directly onto the floor, the spots of salty water dying, leaving spheres of dark green to stain the carpet, "B-Bast-tard!"

He distantly heard the other scoff and dared to look up into the other's smirking and laughing black eyes, and yet he couldn't stop the cheeky grin that tugged at his lips and - despite the agonising pain he felt in his lower regions - shakily laughed alongside the other who chuckled at the younger teen. "Karma's a bitch." the other stated as he extended his pale arm out and offered his hand for the blonde to take, which the other gladly took in his own hand, noting the distinct contrast between their skin colour and how firmly the other gripped his tan hand to hoist the light blonde on his feet, "Even?"

Grinning his pearly whites, the tanned boy nodded before introducing himself, "I'm Naruto."

The raven paused. He didn't like this. He felt as though giving his name to the other would be like signing a contract of friendship. Friendship meant trust. Trust meant bonds. Bonds meant attachment.

Attachment wasn't good. Because friendship, trust, bonds and attachment all brought out emotions and those emotions made people blind. Blind in making the right decisions. Blind to surroundings. Blind to common sense. Blind towards your self.

Blind to the fact that you could lose that person and you'd be left alone: blind. Being alone and missing that person resulted in depression and stress. Depression and stress all lead to being on edge and clumsy. That meant you would never get any sleep. Therefore you would make mistakes. Mistakes - small or huge - could result in your own life being taken away.

The raven wanted - needed - to survive. That was what he had promised himself. He would survive no matter what. he had told himself no friends, no attachments and no bonds.

So why was he hesitating? In truth, the raven missed people; he missed seeing living human beings, he missed the connection and human interactions that were absent now. He missed the sight of kids playing in the snow, families laughing together at their own inside joke that no one else would understand but themselves, the raven missed seeing the groups of friends joking around at the weekends; organising trips, parties and their holidays. He missed his classmates - although annoying and distracting at the time - and their bickering, flirting, cheerful banter and teasing.

The pale skinned boy had missed out on all of the above: he had never made the effort to befriend someone, never interacted with anyone unless he was required to do so and didn't even acknowledge their presence.

He regretted that. I wished he had made friends, joined a club, went to parties and watched films at the cinema with friends. The raven regretted on missing out on their inside jokes, he wished he had laughed with them and not been the stuck-up prick he had been.

Naruto could give him this.

'But is now the best time to be making friends?' he asked himself. With the constant danger they lived in, there was a high possibility that one or maybe both of them could die. But here and right now all the raven could think was: 'It's about time I stopped surviving and start living.'

"Sasuke. My name's Sasuke."

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"So," Naruto began after they had a light - but satisfying nonetheless - breakfast of biscuits and chocolate bars the blonde and ravens had salvaged by themselves before they had none of each other's existence, "What were you doing before all of this? You look a bit old for high school. What are you? Nineteen?" He asked curiously, fiddling with sleeve of his red hooded fleece.

Leaning back, the raven extended his arms to stretch across the back of the sofa and exhaled loudly in thought, "Close, I'm eighteen - so I was still in school - just had a few more months to go before I could have left..." Sasuke replied back, a small teasing smirk played on his lips, "What about you? I'm guessing you were failing school considering the lack of brain cells you -" he teased but an elbow from the blonde next to him caused a chuckle to arise from his chest.

"Hey! I was great at school! I'll have you know - I was a master at english! I was getting all A's in that subject!" 'Nar' exclaimed, "And I was great at music! So, ha!" he cheered in the raven's face before victoriously returning to his original spot, his arms crossed and a large grin exposing his white teeth.

The teasing smirk returned, "Wow, what level of English?" he asked and when Naruto happily gave his answer the smirk that played on Sasuke's lips grew in victory, "I was doing advanced higher english at your age."

A tan jaw dropped as he gawked at the older boy, "You're joking right? Nobody in my year was in an advanced higher class! What are you? Some kind of reincarnation of Einstein?"

Scoffing, Sasuke shook his head before extending his two fingers to prod at Naruto's forehead, "No, idiot. Einstein was physics, not english" he informed the blonde, "Not that I was terrible in physics either..." the raven added after a moment of thought.

"Geez, no need to rub your intelligence in my face, Mr. Prodigy!"

Sourly, Sasuke corrected the golden-haired boy, "Oh, no - that was my brother. I was second to him."

Sighing explosively, Naruto threw his arms up, "Right, okay! I get it! You come from a line of awesome that pass on the fucking 'Smart-Gene'! Where were you and your brother made? In a lab?" he asked comically, "I always knew you were a test-tube baby...or maybe a petri dish baby." 'Nar' wondered aloud with his fist cupping his chin in thought.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Nah...just plain ol' intercorse." he replied before a small shiver shot down his back, His black eyes peered when he heard Naruto burst into an explosive fit of laughter, "What?" he questioned, suspicion clearly evident in his tone.

"D-d..." 'Nar' attempted to say but the laugher overpowered his ability of speech when another fit of uncontrollable laughter took over. "Did...you s-seriously sa-ay..." the blonde began after composing himself to the extent of talking, "i-in-intercorse?" he managed before again falling victim to the rib-aching laughter.

Sasuke just shook his head, chuckling at the immaturity the blonde haired boy possessed. But then again, the boy was younger than himself and had a completely opposite sense of humour that Sasuke had held around Naruto's age, the raven couldn't even remember having a sense of humour at the tanned boy's age-group. Being mature for the majority of his teenage life, Sasuke hadn't involved himself in jokes, pranks and the sort of hooligan activity most of his classmates had enrolled themselves into. The raven hadn't been interested in joining in at the time: all he cared about was his studies, not befriending the useless kids that would have stopped him from getting the straight-A scores he got.

Sasuke didn't even remember conversing with any of his classmates unless it was for a project and if he was forced to tutor them, all he remembered d was studying, glaring at the class-clowns that dared to interrupt his studies and swatting away his delusional fangirls that followed him like a group of lost and abandoned mongrels.

He guessed that the lack of friends and company - and his anti-social behaviour - was to blame.

Glancing at the laughing blonde from the corner of his eyes, a genuine smile graced his lips, 'I guess - with the help of Naruto - that could change...' he thought as crystal blue eyes locked with his before they were filled with laughter once again.

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**Again, I'd like to thank all of the reviewers! You make my life complete! X)**

_**iews to Master, AnimeMusicYaoi, Awesomenessknowsnobounds, AiMila, rAiNwAtEr, and sugardash, IWishIWasACheesecake, panda6374, teamIggy, KyouyaxCloud as well as all the other reviewers who I think are offline reviewers (either that they do not have a FF account)! You know who you are!**_

**_Thanks for the reviews, they make my heart swell and I feel even more loved every time I get a review so keep. them. coming._**

**_Hoped you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did! :D_**

**_See ya! :)_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! Sorry this is a bit late but I was caught up with school and the surprisingly active social life I have. I kind of rushed it too so if it sucks tell me.**

**Just a quick hello because I'm in a bit of a rush so go read the chapter!**

**I don't own Naruto (I'm not sure if I mentioned this in the last chapter)**

**:)**

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Chapter 4

Naruto peeked a side glance at his new companion, letting his blue gaze linger as he watched the raven take in the large pile of rubble and large gaping holes blemishing the pale walls, the other's eyes slightly wide at the damage, "How did you do that?" Sasuke asked in disbelief, looking at the destroyed corridor with dead arms and feet sticking out of the large portions of wall and ceiling as if it were a trick of the mind: an illusion.

Grinning to himself, Naruto admired his handy work, agreeing that using his tricks were worth the noise when killing the hoard that had chased him before, "Grenades. I found a bunch of them at a closed off and empty armory back in Amegakure before I left. I took a good amount of them." he informed the raven haired companion proudly, "I've still got some left but not a lot." Naruto gestured to his drawstring bag with his tan thumb that pointed over his shoulder.

Sasuke looked impressed as regarded the rubble with an admiral and respectful gaze, "You're lucky."

Naruto blushed slightly when the other turned his warm and impressed stare to his younger partner. His tan hand scratched at his head before the other hand linked with it's counterpart to intertwine themselves at the back of his head while a soft laugh departed from his plump pink lips, "Nah..." He breathed, "not lucky, just fortunate."

A nod in his peripheral vision and a hum in agreement met his ears before Sasuke turned to a nearby fire exit with a contemplating look passing over his face before he sauntered across to the grey double doors, giving an experimental push on the bar to open the door before looking across at the tanned boy who was now following the raven, "Ready to leave?" he asked, "You haven't got anything you're wanting to do, no?"

Another cheeky grin paired with a, "More ready that I'll ever be!" he called enthusiastically, causing an amused smirk to grace Sasuke's pale lips and a curt nod as he held open the door for Naruto.

"Idiot's first."

"Thank you...Hey!" Naruto yelled as he took his elbow and jabbed it sharply into the taller boy's side with a glare, "Bastard!"

Once recovered from the minor attack from the shorter male, Sasuke chuckled warmly and let an equally warm smile stay as an after effect, not noticing the marvelling azure gems cast on his face before Naruto scolded himself for starring.

They walked in a comfortable silence after that, a few conversations here and there, discussions and pointless bickering, but both enjoyed the company and having someone there: eager to listen and to disagree or add their own opinions to whatever the other boy would say.

In contrast to their casual and calm conversations, their pace was brisk and their senses and nerves always on alert and edged, like the tight-wound springs of a trap, ready to snap into action when the danger beckoned them. But, they encountered only a small number of undead; killing them swiftly and without mistake. Both boy's couldn't help but realised how well they worked together and that being partners required zero effort. If just felt normal, like cogs turning in a large clock - clockwork. It was like two pieces of a puzzle.

If they had a word to sum it up it would be that everything felt natural. Their skills added and corresponded with each others, improving and enhancing in places they never even knew they had to improve.

Time seemed to pass quickly, their conversations and exchanged opinions seeming to cause the hours to slip through their fingers and pass too quickly for them to notice until they surrounded by single story houses, small village shops and businesses: all of them vacant and empty, drained of their items and products. Large fields of tall and yellowing grass acting as a perimeter for the village much smaller than Iwagakure.

Midnight ebony and azure eyes drunk in every detail of the evacuated houses like the way some of their doors lay open; welcoming robbers and scavengers to the unowned belongings laying beyond the ajar doors. Some people had even took the effort shut and perhaps even lock their doors just with the hopes of being able to come back to their homes, maybe even with the hope that the world disaster would blow over.

Naruto's vivid imagination even came up with illustrations and echoing voices of the parents reassuring their own children, elders worrying over their long-time friends and neighbours, employees and their employers whispering and muttering, business men and women complaining, government officials, police officers and loud and demanding commands and orders, shots and booms of army officers and generals. He could still feel the long gone vibes and waves of panic, worry, hope, anxiety, concern, uneasiness and fear radiating from everything. Sights of crying children, hushing mothers, indifferent soldiers assaulted his mind but Naruto pushed them all back: he didn't want to see the fleeting, flashing frozen pictures of families being separated from each other - that one family member who had tried and failed at concealing the large bite wound or gash - and shot dead before their own wide, shocked and panic-stricken eyes.

His partner however kept his mind and eyes closed off as his piercing sable orbs analysing and searching for any signs of undead. Sasuke was pulled from his exploration when a flash of blonde hair, orange, blue and grey darted from his side to a shop a few houses down; his azure eyes fixated on a large red poster on the wall of one of the shops.

Tanned fingers ripped the A3 poster off of the wall, his excited and enthusiastic eyes absorbing in every word, syllable and letter, memorising the full poster before eagerly spinning around to face raven and holding out the paper at arms length to show it off, "Konoha!" he yelled, his voice keen with volume and cerulean eyes shining with hope and pure excitement, "I told you! I told you it was a free-zone!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the poster as he reflected on what the blonde had argued with him about back in Iwagakure.

"Konoha. I want to go to Konoha."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the younger boy in thought, "Why Konoha?" he questioned the other as they walked side by side down the school's corridor. Their shoes meeting the floor echoed and filled the silence throughout the long walled space in the quiet spaces in between their voices.

Naruto grinned at the other, his eyes closed and Sasuke had a feeling that the tan lids were hiding something in the blonde's crystal blue eyes, "I heard it's zombie free. I want to see for myself." Naruto explained, his voice firm and unmoving - even when Sasuke disagreed.

Scoffing, the raven shook his head, "That's impossible. there isn't any free-zones. None." he told the other, who scowled at being disagreed with, "Who told you anyway? How did you find out?"

"I saw a few posters around here and...I just want to see for myself, you know?"

"No. There can't be any safe-zones. If there was, we'd know. Trust me."

Silence met their ears before Naruto again spoke up, his voice just as solid and unmoving as it had been before, "...I'm going. You don't need to go: it wasn't like I was planning on having someone coming along with me..." he said quietly, loud enough for the other to hear.

Sasuke detected some disappointment in the other's voice at the thought of the absence of the raven and the pale boy doubted Naruto's claim of not having planned anyone to join him.

"Don't be silly," a low growling voice scolded before Sasuke's pale hands snatched the poster from the younger boy's hands and skimmed his eyes over the large text: 'Attention! Konoha is free of bitten!'. Anyone else that could have been around would have been able to the see the clear doubt in his eyes and suspicion clouding his black orbs as that searched for any hidden lies and false hope within the ink and paper. But even he himself knew it was useless: the paper remained silent and mute even when up against his penetrating and piercing glare that burned holes through it's strong and fast repairing resolve. But he wasn't going to admit that. He thrust the A3 poster back the golden haired boy with a look of apathy in his eyes, "it was obviously some kind of sick ploy to get rid of everyone to exterminate the corpses. I don't know about you, but haven't you noticed the lack of zombies around here. We've came across, what? Three?"

Roughly snatching the poster from Sasuke's hands, Naruto glared at the taller and older teen, "Four and you don't know that!" The blonde corrected, "This could be true and I'm not going to pass up the opportunity of staying somewhere safe and - and...the have people there! Real, breathing and thinking people!" Naruto's voice came out desperate: desperate to get his point through to Sasuke and desperate to convince the ravn into coming with him.

To himself, Sasuke admitted that what Naruto had said sounded appealing - extremely appealing - and he could almost feel his mind swaying and lingering in the middle of the two choices: go with Naruto or let Naruto go alone to a place that could very well end up killing the blonde. The last sounded heartless. So heartless that it made the raven flinch: shocked that such a thought even existed in his cerebral cortex. This led his train of thought to drift; wondering why they had come so close and how they had grown this bond - all in the space of a day. 'Less...' Sasuke thought deeply, '...it's been less than a day...'

Sasuke had been in Naruto's company longer - three days at the most - considering that the younger boy had been unconscious for two of them and that in that time Sasuke was able to learn more about the blonde from Naruto's appearance alone. He'd learned that he was younger, was thin and perhaps didn't eat a lot, from the dark circles that flawed his lightly tanned skin Sasuke could conclude that the other didn't get the sleep the growing teen needed and Sasuke also found that the boy was naive and vulnerable.

Vulnerable. Naruto was so much more weaker than the raven that it tugged on the strings of his heart and made a deep feeling in Sasuke to wake up from its dormant state.

Sasuke had been overwhelmed with protectiveness: he wanted to shelter the younger boy from what was to come, to guard and shield him from harm, to bring back the colour - what he knew had been there in the past - that had lit up his whole being and preserve it. Sasuke could remember being taken back by the feeling that he had stumbled from his position of hovering above Naruto to pressing his back against the wall, and as much as he hated to admit: Sasuke had been scared and frightened by this emotion: it felt too complex for his brain to understand even though Sasuke knew it was simple and shouldn't be feared.

But it didn't stop the thump-thump-thump of his rapidly beating heart and flutters and flips of his acrobatic stomach that he had felt back then...and now. Sasuke's pale hands had turned clammy and they repeated the pattern of clench and unclench as they lay stiff at his side. The raven's white teeth brought his bottom lip into their nervous chewing and his black abyss orbs refused to look Naruto in his pleading crystal blue eyes that stared at him, anger only faint in eyes that had previously being flaming brilliantly in the emotion. There were a few times when his pale lips stopped chewing his bottom lip and open, drawing in a shaky, jerky and harsh breath but his larynx failed to think of something to say and in return his mouth would clamp shut.

Whilst Naruto waited impatiently for Sasuke to answer him, the blonde forced himself to remain calm and subdue his wild heartbeat and appear to look calmer when his gaze caught the raven's mouth opening and breath in, on the verge of saying something only to close shut and remain silent. Amongst all of his worry, fear and nerves, Naruto was fuming. He was just so angry that Sasuke wasn't right away jumping at the chance of being safe and away from these zombies. The younger boy just couldn't comprehend why the raven would hesitate at this opportunity: it was...just stupid and Naruto was unable to understand what was stopping Sasuke.

It was just when Naruto had turned around to storm further into the village saying, "It doesn't matter. Forget I even wanted to -"

"Don't be silly." Sasuke repeated as his hand shot out to grab hold of Naruto's upper arm and pull him back, "If you want to go then, I'll go with you." he said, amusement flashing through his black depths and the corner of his lips jerkily up into a smirk, "We're only going to find out one way if Konoha's really safe, aren't we? Besides, I can't just let a kid go off by himself, now can I?"

For a moment, Naruto was stunned: not expecting Sasuke to agree so abruptly. But then a grin, full and bright stretched onto his face, and even Sasuke - with his prodigious reflexes - could stop or react in time before Naruto crushed him in a bear hug as he laughed against Sasuke's brown, t-shirt covered chest, his laugh ricocheting through the raven's chest - not hearing or feeling Sasuke's heart beat obstreperously. "Thanks." he whispered after a while before he pulled back from the Sasuke who was frozen stiff, only his raven eyes moving from watching the top of golden locks to Naruto's face when he had moved away: unable to stop themselves from flickering to the tear stains running down the sides of Naruto's face: happy tears.

Sasuke managed to crack a small smile at the sight of Naruto laughing again, this time because of the shock that had been present on Sasuke's pale face. It wasn't long before Sasuke was joining Naruto's laughter with a chortle of his own.

After they had calmed down, Naruto straightened and gave a punch to Sasuke's arm which stung and sent a small pain up Sasuke's shoulder, "What was that for?" he asked, placing a hand on his upper arm.

"That's for calling me a kid."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hiya! **

**I'm sorry for being in such a rush last week but I was seriously leaving the house will writing *gestures to all of this* my hello and ect. and I would just like to apologise for that! :)**

**So, it's the Eater holidays! \('o')/**

**Too bad I need to study for my exams in May/June (-.-) Darn it!**

**Anyway, hope you all love this chapter and I am still very thankful of EVERYONE who favourites/follows/reviews me and/or Dead (especially all of you reviewers! I LOVE YOU! 3)**

**I DON'T own Naruto but if I **_**did**_** Sasuke wouldn't be such a f**king b***h and b****y little**_** s**t**_**!**

**I seriously hate that Uchiha... (-.-) *shakes fist* You're lucky fanfiction makes me warm up to you!**

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Chapter 5

Two orbs of cobalt gazed out of the dusty, dirt-speckled glass. His sleeved arms lay folded across the windowsill as he looked up at the grayed and clouded sky, watching as the large drops of rain fell from the sobbing heavens, smacking and splashing against any surface it made contact with. The sun was completely masked by the sobbing mass of impenetrable water vapour that kept the sun's warmth and light behind it's walls. Puddles littered the pavements and vacant roads in large gatherings of water, constantly being bombed by a barrage of rainwater, causing their stillness to be disrupted and rippled.

It was soothing and caressed his ears; the pitter and patter of the rain colliding with the glass lulled his mind into a peaceful, reminiscing and drifting paradise. The rain's constant beat made Naruto remember times when everything was perfect. Times he had a family, had friends and foes. When he _had a life_.

But those times were long gone and Naruto could do anything to do anything to get them back. He couldn't travel back in time - and if he could what was he supposed to do to stop the apocalypse from taking place? How could he have stopped his family, his friends - teachers, neighbours, the old woman who lived down the street and the man who ran the ramen stall - how could he have stopped their lives from slipping through his fingers?

The answer? It was impossible. No one could have prevented the virus and infectious disease from destroying brains and people. No one knew how, where and why people turned into these flesh-craving, brain-dead and animalistic creatures that roamed the streets in their search for their meal. No one knew where it started. No one knew who started it.

No one other than the person to create the virus.

Before Naruto's musing could develop further, he dragged his mind to the present: which to him was precious - every day, every hour, minute and second, every smell, sight, sound, taste and touch - all of it was something to be cherished because Naruto didn't know when that was going to leave him too. He still dreamy sapphire eyes drifted away from the rainy and wet outside to the warmer and dryer café Sasuke and himself had found when the rain had started to change from drizzling to pelting like hail.

Sasuke was sitting on the opposite seat of the booth they sat at, cleaning his sword with precision and delicate, feather-like touches. His ebony orbs trained on the thin gleaming blade, refusing distractions and anything that would cause his concentration to be interrupted.

A huff escaped Naruto's plump lips and he got up from his seat, stretching his arms above his head and popping his back, relishing in the cracks that came from his stiff bones - not noticing the switching of concentration of black eyes that now rested on the exposed flesh his t-shirt revealed before they forcibly looked away. With a lopsided frown, Naruto made his way to stand behind the cafe's counter, inspecting a large hot beverages machine that sat on the counter with a longing shine to his brandeis blue eyes. Naruto then proceeded to lift up a mug from the rack next to the machine and place it on the rack inside the doorless compartment of the machine and look skeptically at the wide choice of buttons in front of his eyes. There was a lot to choose from and Naruto hadn't tried some of the choices available, but he didn't was to have something that may not be appetizing to his taste buds. So he read each individual button until he came to two choices: tea or hot chocolate.

A troublesome pink tongue poked out of mouth and curled to the side as he tried to make a decision. Experimentally, He extended his forefinger and pressed his tan fingertip against the button which read 'Hot Chocolate' and waited patiently, staring at his mug and mentally begging the hot beverage machine to release it's chocolate, heavenly goodness.

Wish granted, the beautifully smelling, mouth watering and hot liquid poured from the machine and into the white mug until it was a little below filled, leaving the mug to be snatched excitedly from it's resting place and into the colder hands of the golden haired and skinned boy who marvelled at his chocolate in awe and love as he walked back to his seat at the booth.

Thoroughly amused, Sasuke had watched the blonde after deeming his katana clean and perfect to observe the event, and his entertainment was increased when the blonde started to almost cradle the mug to his chest lovingly.

He wouldn't be surprised if the younger boy started cooing at the hot beverage warmly but instead, Naruto had decided he had waited long enough and raised the mug up to his waiting lips, the hot liquid seeping into his mouth, leaving the blonde in a state of complete bliss as an at ease sigh filled the raven's ears.

His tongue wet his suddenly dry pale lips in anticipation as he - with as much speed and stealth - snatched the hot chocolate from the tan hands and quenched his thirst with the hot liquid.

Naruto hadn't expecting for his new found heat and heaven to be ripped from his hands and he could only watch as the colour of pale skin, his hot chocolate and the white mug all merged and blurred together, the mug being raised to Sasuke's pale lips. Shock was replaced by annoyance directed towards the older teen that sat across from but it was quickly replaced with a feeling that Naruto couldn't name.

The feeling cause his persian eyes were drawn to the raven's extended pale neck that had curved whilst drinking the hot chocolate. Sasuke's adam's apple bobbed slowly as the liquid slid down his throat, overpowering Naruto's ability to look away. Then azure orbs travelled up to where the mug hid Sasuke's lips, it didn't hid the small trail of hot chocolate gliding down from the corner of his lips, down his chin only to drip from his chin.

It was when his peripheral vision picked up the lowering of the mug that a single blink caused him to be pulled from his stupor and look away, an embarrassed and bashful flush colouring his tan cheeks, and a confused frown on his lips.

"That was amazing." Sasuke praised as he set the now two thirds empty mug on the booth table and used the back of his hand to wipe away the trail of hot chocolate on his chin. Noticing Naruto's quietness and slight blush, Sasuke furrowed his dark brows, "Are you okay?"

Flinching in surprise, Naruto blinked and quickly peered at Sasuke at the corner of his eyes before he snatched his mug and took a sip from it, "I'm fine, just fine." He muttered inside his mug, still avoiding eyes contact and his cheeks still stubbornly holding the red blush adorning his skin, ignoring the silent pleas of it to leave.

The raven haired teen gave Naruto a pointed look, "You sure? You're looking a bit flustered." He commented as black orbs bore into the golden skin as the redness on his face concentrated in brightness.

"N-no I'm not! I told you I'm fi -" Naruto tried to argue but abruptly stopped when he felt the cooler back of Sasuke's hand press against the side of his face before swiping away his fair locks to rest against his forehead. It was fairly simple and a menial gesture but it was intimate enough to cause Naruto's blush to spread down his slender neck and to his ears, deepening in colour. He wouldn't be surprised if his whole face was as red as the blood running through his veins.

"You're temperature is a bit hot but not bad..." Sasuke said to almost himself as his hand lingered there a bit longer - as if to make sure Naruto's forehead wasn't tricking him - before it returned to it's place of below the table and on Sasuke's lap, "You sure you don't feel -?"

Naruto shot up in his seat, "I need to be excused, I need to go to the bathroom." he said loudly before almost running towards the male's bathroom, leaving Sasuke to sit in his seat and stare after the blonde in confusion.

Once in the safety of the the bathroom, Naruto speed walked towards one of the sinks and turned the cold tap on, cupping his hands under the cold water and splashing it onto his still blushing face; repeatedly wetting his face until he was sure the flush was gone and grabbed a random amount of paper towels from the dispenser and drying his face. Even though his face had been brutally splashed with the icy water, his forehead and right cheek still burned from the lingering heat that Sasuke's cool hand had left behind.

Confused cornflower eyes stared back at his reflection in the mirror, looking into their blue depths as Naruto's hand lifted slowly to brush away his spikes to gingerly touching his forehead the cold flesh gently retaining it's original heat, but it burned that his fingers jerked back on instinct.

Panicked and exhausted, Naruto averted his gaze to the sink, refusing to see the look he didn't doubt his eyes would hold. His hand numbly fell to his clothed side and his other gripped and scrunched at the fabric covering his chest, where his heart lay beneath, "_Shit_." He cursed before he turned his back to the mirror, "Fucking hell, Nar. What do you think you're doing?" He asked himself, his voice pleading to be answered. "Huh?" the blonde's voice pressed, more agitated. More defeated.

Knees weak and wobbly, Naruto's constricting grip on the orange fabric intensified and twisted, panicked eyes darting around the bathroom before locking onto the cubicle at the furthest away from the door. He stumbled towards it, locking himself inside before pressing his back against it allowing time for his blood pressure to regulate back into it's normal pace and his breaths - which he hadn't known had become sharp and shallow - to calm and relaxed. His head thumped angrily against the cubicle door before his eyes closed shut and his face tilted upwards, his closed lids staring blindly up at the bathroom ceiling.

Unable to stop his train of thought, his mind drifted back to what had happened only minutes ago. Naruto could almost feel the raven's pale hand on his cheek, his hair being brushed back and a cool palm gently pressing against his forehead: burning. He could feel his blush come back ten times worse and he cursed again "Shit." but it came out weak and pathetically.

Just as he was about to sink down to sit on the floor, several small explosions from outside filled the silence of the men's bathroom. Before Naruto knew what he was doing, he had unlocked the cubicle and was rushing towards the bathroom exit.

* * *

When Sasuke had managed to drag his smoldering, confused black eyes away from the bathroom door, they had just stared blankly at the mug of hot chocolate on the other side of the booth, sitting innocently where Naruto had left it; waiting loyally for him to come back.

Frowning, Sasuke reached across the table and pulled the mug towards him to twirl the mug around lazily, to occupy his fidgeting and restless hands while his mind was consumed in deep thought and his vacant eyes stared at the equally empty mug.

His hand was slightly hot where he'd touched Naruto's cheek and forehead, and he couldn't get the soft feeling of his unblemished forehead and the plumpness of his scarred cheek out of his mind, and just the memory alone caused his heart to flutter and a small, warm glow to grace his pale skin; his blood rushing to the two polars of his anatomy. Displeased with his body's behaviour, he forced the blush away and commanded his heart to settle into his natural rhythm of _da-dum_, _da-dum_, _da-dum_.

Now all he had to do was sort his muddled mind, and just as he was to confront his..._feelings_, racing footsteps and clustered groans and gurgles caused his senses to snap into action and become stiff and as alert as a stalked upon zebra in the open plains of Africa. His acute hearing got him out of his seat and racing to the window to allow his even sharper eyes to cast rapidly around the limited outside space from his crouched place at the window.

Then suddenly, a blur of grey, black and green rushed into the raven's view, pausing and throwing something in the direction he came from before dashing off again - faster than before - away and out of Sasuke's sight. Before Sasuke could do anything else, a small, firework-like explosions assaulted his ears, followed by the ground shaking and a vapour of smoke to billow from where the person had ran from. Instinct had shielded Sasuke from the shattered glass above him when he had huddled in on himself to protect his head.

When Sasuke had thought it safe enough, he raised from his spot and watched as the last remains of a hoard stumbled from the explosion and shuffled angrily after their prey - none noticing the easy meal standing behind the glass less window. He heard the dull and distant sound of the bathroom door open and Naruto asking "What the fuck was that? What's going on? S-Sasuke-ke are you ok-kay?", but he was already gathering his things and pulling his sword from it's sheath, his mind buzzing and filling up with all of the attacks and moves he had learned from the start to present. He also took a small note of the angry look Naruto had given him and the slight fear hidden in the blonde's sea blue depths but brushed it away: that was unimportant right now.

What mattered now was that he please, subdue and feed the monstrous bloodthirst and the sinful want - _the need_ - to slice his blade through a zombie's neck: through the skin and muscle, cutting their arteries and veins and easily gliding through the bone to the other side; leaving the head to roll of the dead shoulders and for the limp body to follow.

The thought alone made the demon deep within Sasuke's soul grin and his coal eyes nearly turned red with anticipation and pure and utter _excitement_ as he strode out of the café, Naruto in tow, and in the direction of the undead - _his_ prey.

* * *

**Thanks for reading and please review because I gives me a warm fuzzing feeling I almost start doing a happy dance in my armchair...almost...X)**

**Thanks to the following people:**

_**Reviews to Master, AnimeMusicYaoi, sugardash, iWishiWasACheesecake, Allie X 'l, KyouyaxCloud, plussizedangel!**_

**People are still AWESOME and EPIC! I LOVE YOUUUU!**

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**See you later!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey you guys! Thought I'd jump you all with a surprisingly quick update: A NEW CHAPTER!**

**Hope you all enjoy it!**

**Now let the EPIC journey continue!**

**I do not and never will own Naruto :(**

* * *

Chapter 6 New Addition

It didn't take long for Sasuke to catch up with some of the zombies who had lagged behind: the weaker ones with missing limbs or maimed in some other way that slowed them down like a missing eyes or broken bones. Just seeing the weaker of the hoard made the raven's sickening and ugly excitement grow and feed the demon waiting for the spilling of zombie matter splattered against the pavement, road Sasuke's sword - everywhere. He could hear the growling impatience from the beast within his eyes and Sasuke closed his eyes as he raised his sword to the walking corpse's back, snapping them open in time to see it's head rolling off it's shoulders with a stomach churning smack!

The next zombie to his right didn't stand a chance: both of it's eyes were missing and it was stumbling blindly, following only the hunger and smell of the human they were chasing. With speed unimaginable to most, Sasuke slammed his foot against the zombie's back - relishing in the sound of the spinal cord snapping. Before the zombie could move, call out to it's other horde members or attempt at protecting itself: Sasuke crouched down. His left foot on the centre of it's back and his right knee bent and resting on the road. He raised his hands and pierced the undead's head. The smooth metal glided through the skull effortlessly and into it's brain: beckoning a satanic smirk to curl his lips.

Rapid footsteps slapped against the road as Naruto ran passed Sasuke, hitting a zombie in the middle of it's chest with the butt of his shotgun. The reanimated creature fell onto it's back a few feet away but it never got a chance to move before Naruto had the muzzle of his gun in the corpse's mouth. The squeeze of a trigger silenced it's gurgles and snarls directed at the golden haired teen.

Then the blonde boy was aiming at another zombie and pulling the trigger: a clean headshot. Blue eyes that had previously been locked on their target, they turned to the side to peek out of the gold locks and look at Sasuke. A grin made its way onto his face in little time and his cornflower orbs mirrored the grin with a cheeky shin of their own, "Am I a kid now?" he asked, the underlying question being: "Can a kid do all that?".

Sasuke - whilst watching the blonde move fluidly and with ease - had been pulled from his state of bloodthirst and stood, coal eyes smirking at the boy as he made his way over to the boy, "Nah," he said, mockingly as he raised his hand and ruffled the boy's fair and surprisingly soft spikes, "you're not an average kid..." he began, reluctantly removing to the softness of Naruto's hair and ignoring the hand's longing to stay in the golden silk locks longer with a poke to the tan forehead, "...just a cool kid with some moves."

Swatting the hand away, Naruto huffed and crossed his arms, his head rising in an attempt to make himself appear taller, "I'm not a kid! I'm sixteen!" he exclaimed proudly, "I can legally buy a pet, choose my doctor, work, drive a moped, gamble...and - and...have s - sex!" He told the raven a slight blush dusting his cheeks, "You don't see a kid doing any of that!"

"Says the virgin."

If Naruto hadn't been blush before then he had an extreme and rare case of all of his blood rushing to his face, causing the skin to become red and hot, "W - wh- what? H - h -ho - how did - ? I - I'm - ah!" the teen stuttered nervously, avoiding the other's eyes and looking anywhere but the raven's face, which seemed to be getting closer.

An amused glint made itself known in Sasuke's black orbs as he made a noise of satisfaction before he backed away, "We should be going," he said, effectively changing the subject, "there were more of them all heading that way..." he said, hesitantly towards the end: unsure as whether to tell Naruto about the possible human he had seen, 'the guy is probably dead already...' he reasoned before he returned his katana to it's sheath and started jogging at a brisk pace.

"Right." Naruto said, nodding to himself as he caught up with the raven, the subject causing his uncomfort and Sasuke's amusement dropped. He placed his shotgun's shoulder strap on his shoulder when he noticed the lack of the raven's weapon in his pale hand, "How many do you think there is?"

An intake of breath was all Sasuke was able to do before another explosion - this one larger - shook the ground and a strong wind force blasted past, their hair whipping back and their loose clothing ruffling from the potency of the explosive air. Their eyelids had subconsciously narrowed to protect the visual organ behind the skin from the harsh wind and the small particles of dirt, dust and grit.

Naruto's hand shot up to cover his mouth as he coughed, "W-what -?" he choked out, grit lacing his voice in between his barking coughs as his other hand waved a murky cloud away from his face "was t - that?"

Narrowing his eyes , Sasuke again took off in direction of the explosion, "Come on."

Denim eyes curiously stared after the raven before also taking off, easily catching up with the older teen, strangely enthusiastic as possibilities burst into his mind, racing with each other, 'Maybe it was the army fighting against the zombies - or a mine made set up to detonate when a zombie stepped on it! Or there could be someone else here - they could come with us and we could team up!'

But when he looked over at Sasuke, he doubted a team could ever be made up: Sasuke preferred being alone - Naruto could tell the moment he saw the raven that the other liked his solitude and lack of human interaction. The blonde also knew that Sasuke becoming friends with him was a bit of a long stretch but it still happened. Surely, the other could add one more to their partnership, right? A little bit of convincing and persuasion from Naruto's side would definitely soften the other up hopefully enough to allow another to join them on their journey to Konohagakure would do it. Naruto was even willing to bet that he could make the raven putty in his hands with a few tricks he held up his sleeve.

The thought of Sasuke turning into a puddle of gooey putty made the other grin in mock evilness and caused him to pick up speed in anticipation.

A short minute run towards the cloud of the billowing dust lead them through a wide forest path and to a large pit where the explosion must have been, littering the large ditch in the middle of the path were arms, legs, heads, bit of torso and buts: all grayed, rotten, burned and some even harshly charred - but fresh.

The two had shared a look after drinking in the scene. It wasn't a mine or a bomb that had previously been put there, waiting for the unfortunate victims to stand on it. It had been some sort of grenade that had been spontaneously set off, a bomb place there recently - minutes ago - in a hurried and rushed plan.

"It was planned. Off the bat but it had a purpose." Sasuke had commented, to himself quietly but loud enough for Naruto to hear and agree with, before they had moved on, this time faster.

They hadn't been running for long, but the slight burn in their legs made it feel longer and it made them all the more relieved when the sudden break through the trees took them to the mouth of a bridge: Kanabi Bridge was engraved in a wooden plaque nailed on the entrance of the bridge, naming the large white and red stone structure.

Immediately, the attention of azure and midnight black eyes were demanded of the small battle taking place on the middle of the bridge. A grey haired man was surrounded in all directions by undead, shuffling and closing in on him as he fended himself off.

Naruto was the first to spring into action, his instinct to protect another human being quickly overpowering his sense of thought and rational thought, leaving Sasuke standing hesitantly by the mouth of the bridge.

The raven had been counting on the stranger being dead or half eaten when they'd arrived so he wouldn't have the pleasure of meeting another human. He didn't mean to think so coldly - he'd be happy for there to be others out there: alive and doing well - but he was quite comfortable with just being with Naruto. Sasuke felt that he didn't need any more company that what he already had. The blonde was enough to keep him from being alone, Naruto entertained him and the raven felt that if Naruto hadn't been chased by those reanimated corpses and saw him in the school that day: Sasuke would have lost of his humanity, the last remains of his morals had been saved the moment he had caught the younger boy from hitting the floor when he fainted.

However, the sound of Naruto's shotgun shooting and the said boy yelling, "Sasuke what are doing just standing there!?", ripped him from his dilemma and made him run after the sun-kissed boy with only one thing running on constant repeat in his mind: he need to protect Naruto: his saviour.

"Shut up, idiot. I was doing something you don't." Sasuke snapped when he was close enough to the blonde and in between slicing off a zombie's head and maneuvering around the blonde to get to zombie's he didn't see or couldn't aim at.

Naruto frowned as he took aim and shot, "And what was that?" he asked, his question showing his confusion.

A smirk played on the raven's pale lips as he got a zombie in the eye, pushing all the way through to the brain and only pulling out when the katana's blade had sliced through until it was sticking out the other end, "Thinking of a plan. You should do it more often." he lied smoothly.

A dark chuckle met his ears and he felt Naruto turn his shotgun on him, "Don't make me shoot you, smartass." he warned, pulling the trigger at a zombie lurking in Sasuke's peripheral vision.

"Go ahead, blockhead."

"You want a headshot, prick?"

"Like you could reach, shortie."

Naruto's eyebrow ticked as he held his shotgun like a bat and slammed it against the head of an oncoming walking corpse, "Short jokes already, bastard? That's low."

Sasuke smirk widened, "Nah, that's you, midget." he shot back.

Growling, Naruto turned to Sasuke once all of the zombie's were permanently down, "Don't twist my words, y - you, you prat!"

"I wouldn't be twisting them if you thought them through, dunderhead. Like I said before, you should use your brain more often." Sasuke said with a roll of his eyes as he returned his katana to it's resting place by his side.

Just as Naruto was about to reply, they heard a thump from behind them and both turned to see the gray haired man leaning against the wall of the bridge, his chest moving sharply in time with his harsh and hollow breaths, and his head tilted up slightly but angled so that his visible eye - his right eye - could stare at them; curious but mesmerised by their interaction. The lower half of his face - below the bridge of his nose - was covered by a tight black mask, concealing part of his identity and his grey hair all spiked out to the left. Bags under his eyes flawed his pale skin along with a scar just visible under the white, medical eye patch. A bead of sweat from over exhaustion slide down his face only for it's journey to stop and be absorbed by the black material of his mask. Adorning his lean figure was a camouflage green jumper and a pair of black jeans, all paired with some toeless black sandals.

Naruto, mentally shook himself and rubbed the back of his head as he turned to face the man, an embarrassed blush lightly dusting his tan face, "Sorry, I forgot you were there..." he said apologetically, while the raven stepped closer to the blonde boy, glaring heatedly at the man.

The man, laughed lightly and breathlessly, shaking his palms at the two, "Nah, there's no need to apologise, I should be the one saying sorry: for dragging you two here. If I'd known, I wouldn't have been so..."

"Indiscreet? Uproarious?" Sasuke suggested, his tone bitter, as he said the word.

The man paused giving the ebony haired teen a cautious look before his gaze flickered between the two teens, noticing the closeness Sasuke was to Naruto. Understanding and humour seeped into his black eye as it crinkled in friendliness, "Well, yes." he said, agreeing with the raven's suggestions and brushing off the harsh tone and loathsome air that was directed towards him, "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

Sasuke froze at the way the man had said that word: 'interrupting'. He knew that tone - very well. The raven had heard his brother use it many times when Sasuke had been more...active in a certain area of a teenage boy's life. It pissed him off then, and it still did now. Just hearing it made the man grit on his nerves even more.

Naruto was quick to put the man straight, "N - no!" he quickly denied, waving his hands melodramatically as a blush quickly deepened on his tan cheeks. Sasuke could help but stare at the blush, strangely proud and satisfied for a reason the raven couldn't pin point.

He almost didn't notice the gray haired man get up and brush off some dirt from his blood stained jeans, "Where are my manners?" he mutter to himself before extending a hand out the blonde haired boy, "Kakashi." he introduced.

Naruto automatically took the outstretched hand, "I'm Naruto." he said before pointing a thumb at Sasuke, who he had a feeling would be reluctant to introduce himself, "and this is -" he began but - unexpectedly - Sasuke cut him off.

"I can introduce myself, Naruto." he told the tanned boy, causing the younger to shiver; the way the older teen had said his name gave Naruto goosebumps, the possessive tone was evident in the raven's voice.

"O-okay." he meekly mumbled, just before the raven's cold voice finished the introductions.

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**Thanks to all of my reviewers - I still love you all! 3**

**Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to leave a review to tell me your thoughts about this chapter!**

**See ya! ^.^**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi again!**

**New chapter! WHOO! \(OoO)/**

**It took me longer to write this chapter just mainly because I didn't really know what to do but felt like some character development was needed? And I kept deleting and retyping and deleting and retyping because I wasn't really liking what I was writing. But I swear I will not let it turn into writer's block! I love this story to much! It's just that this chapter isn't really necessary to the plot but ho hey! (kind of loving that song right now haha)**

**Onto the chapter!**

**I do not own Naruto and it will forever be out of my reach! *sighs in despair***

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Chapter 7 - Creepy, But Not Too Scarring

"Sasuke!" Naruto hissed harshly, his voice only a whisper through his clenched teeth, "Stop it!" he added as the blonde elbowed the other in the sidefor effect.

Sasuke's heated glare lingered on the silver haired man who had gotten up, mentioning something about getting firewood, before sauntering away from their little camp fire. His boiling bitumen orbs melting into the back of Kakashi's skull like molten black lava, however, the jab to his ribcage and seething whisper from the blonde boy demanded his attention and pulled him back from plotting the man's death and instead to Naruto. "Hn." he grunted after saw the irritation in those stormy blue eyes.

Naruto's scowl deepened and a throaty growl rumbled from his throat, "Don't you 'Hn' me!"

Raising a brow at the teenager, Sasuke gave Naruto an unamused look, "Hn." he repeated to spite the younger, temperamental boy; whose reaction was a thump the raven's arm, muttering a quick and half-hearted, "Bastard" under his breath when nothing else came to mind.

They had only been in each other's company for a little longer than a hour and Sasuke hadn't let up on his - stupid and pointless in Naruto's opinion - glaring at Kakashi. The silver haired man seemed to be completely oblivious to the pool of bubbling tar burning holes in head and anytime he did catch Sasuke glaring at him; he waved it off with a eye-smile, a small wave of his gloved hand added with the occasional, "Yo." - completely at ease and indifferent to the tense and thick atmosphere.

But now that Kakashi had left, the uptight raven visibly relaxed; leaning back against his hands sprawled across the damp dirt. Naruto eyed the other, trying to wrap his head around Sasuke's attitude and coldness directed towards Kakashi but to no avail he was left with only unanswered questions and an oncoming headache. A grumble of frustration arose from his tan throat as he turned to the raven, sternly observing the other some more and being met with a cool and amused smirk from Sasuke's lips and eyes, "What?" he asked.

"You know what, prick. Spill." Naruto ordered, crossing his arms while giving the other an expectant look.

Sighing, Sasuke gazed off in the direction Kakashi had went, now hidden amongst the dark and shadowy trees, "I don't trust him." he supplied, his voice cynical and distrusting towards the oldest man, his opinion falling only on the blonde's ears.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto laughed bitterly, "You don't need to trust him, Sasuke. It's not like he's going to kill us in our sleep. The worse he could do is leave us hungry, tired and in the middle of a zombie infested village - oh wait!" the blonde paused, "God beat him to it!"

Sasuke's eyes snapped back to the blonde, slight surprise showing underneath the grim mask, "You trust him?"

The question made Naruto hesitate and actually think through what Sasuke had said. He didn't know why, but his opinion differed from the raven's: he felt like Kakashi was someone you could rely on to back you up and keep you safe - all he knew was that his gut was telling him this. And Naruto always trusted what his gut told him, finding that it was correct nine out of ten times. There hadn't been many times where Naruto's gut had misled him and since this idea of them being the only humans left on Earth made him want to trust him: for humanity's sake.

'To trust or not to trust?' Naruto asked himself, slightly sarcastic but answered with a firm nod of his head, "...Y-yeah...I do."

For a moment, Sasuke's eyes narrowed again and Naruto thought the other was angry at him for putting his trust into Kakashi but it was when those black orbs clouded, immersed within his inner turmoil, that Naruto realised that Sasuke wasn't angry with him: the raven was just conflicted on whether to trust Naruto's judgement.

It was completely understandable. To trust what someone else thought or to follow someone else's gut was hard. You don't know if that person is wrong and you are thrown into the unknown when you do.

It was like being left in the dark with only a far away light to guide you to an exit. But you don't know if that exit is going to be hell, you don't know if it is going to be a paradise or heaven; it could just be more darkness. It could be fake and just a trick of the devil's to bring you deeper and deeper into the darkness - deeper into hell's fiery clutches.

The crackling of the fire filled the air as Naruto's red tinted azure eyes followed the floating embers, awed at the graceful dance they performed above the smoldering flames, completely hypnotic and claiming Naruto's attention. The sight was breathtaking and beautiful, persian blue watching the spiralling and swaying the fire particles executed with aid of the delicate nudge from the flames before their glow was engulfed by the small breeze that carried their dying glow off to somewhere unknown, off on an adventure.

"Naruto." Sasuke called out, his black eyes mirroring the moving black flames as he gazed softly at the distant blonde.

"Hm?" Naruto hummed in question, eyes glued dreamily on the fresh moving embers.

A small frown tugged at his pale lips, seeming to pause before he cleared his throat and looked away when cobalt eyes managed - with much effort - to tear themselves away from their previous obsession. "I...I'll tru -" he faltered but was cut short with the interruption of Kakashi. He immediately snapped his jaw shut, stopping whatever he was going to say from leaving his mouth as he once again continued with his heated glaring directed at the older man.

"I think I have enough for the rest of..." Kakashi paused looking down at the large pile of firewood but again resuming his cheery eye-smile, "yes, enough for the rest of tonight." He gleefully informed them as he carefully fed the collection of sticks to the hungry flames whilst humming tunelessly to himself.

Naruto shook his head before staring expectantly at Sasuke, "You were saying...?"

Sasuke's glare matched the heat of the fire as he again plotted the different ways he could kill the man and make it look like an accident or like a corpse attacked him. He locked eyes with Naruto's sky blue eyes and then finally looked away into the fiery depths of the fire, "Nothing. It was nothing." Sasuke answered bitterly, it wasn't like he _needed_ to tell Naruto. It was necessary for his blonde companion to know. As long as Sasuke himself knew what he had decided then that was all that mattered, right? No one else - especially Naruto - didn't need to know.

* * *

The sun cherishing his tan face gently pulled Naruto from his unconsciousness. Numbly, somewhere in the back of his mind, the blonde noted that for once his dreams weren't plagued with his hellish nightmares but instead - from what he could remember - they were just dull; the only prominent factor being warmth.

His face softly scrunched up at the thought of having to wake up, not wanting to face whatever was waiting, lurking for him, but nonetheless his eyelids screwed shut harder - as if begging for longer sleeping hours - before slowly letting his eyes sheepishly peek out, blinking owlishly to let his eyes adjust to the brightness of the new day and clear away the sleepiness.

But Naruto never saw the morning blue sky with white, fluffy clouds and a sunny ball of fire. What he saw instead caused him to let out a manly shriek at the very close, and very awake face inches away from his own tan own, "Holy crap!" he yelled, his voice breaking at the high pitch it had adopted as he used his elbow to scramble away on his back in fright, messing up the dead fire's remains.

The face chuckled and a hand scratched at the back of silver spikes, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you...but you're kind of adorable when you sleep." he admitted, seeming to wink at Naruto but the blonde couldn't distinguish between a wink and a blink so instead just hoped that Kakashi had gotten something in his eyes and just blinked it away.

"W- wh- what?" squawked with a blush dusting his tan cheeks as he lay awkwardly on the dirt.

Kakashi's eye grew amused but slight understanding lingered there, "No wonder Sasuke couldn't stop watch -" he began but stopped when the raven himself appeared.

Sasuke broke out from the line of trees that surrounded the little clearing that they had rested at, his black top hanging over his left shoulder to show his naked chest which was showed with wet drops of water that dripped from his freshly soaked hair and face. His sword was drawn and ready to use against the dangerous threat which had caused Naruto's scream, "Naruto!" he shouted, worry shown through his voice and a hint of fear hid beneath the cold exterior of his black eyes, but when he saw the shocked and embarrassed expression on Naruto's face; the boy still awkwardly on the ground and the amused glint in Kakashi's visible eye who stood a few feet away from Naruto, his eyes morphed from their wide and round orbs to a glare. "What did you do?" he seethed in irritation at Kakashi.

The man only waved in a dismissive manner after he ruffled Naruto's hair playfully - Naruto edging away from the older man and touching his hair like if it had been infected with the plague - "Oh, nothing too scarring. Just watching over Naruto here while he slept."

Sasuke approached the two, his glare never wavering away from Kakashi, "You what?" He asked, although he had clearly heard the man the first time.

This time, instead of Kakashi answering, Naruto did, "He was just looking after me, you know: making sure I didn't hurt myself in my sleep, get ambushed by zombies..."

Frowning and brows knitting together, the raven gazed between Naruto and Kakashi, "Then why did you scream?"

The blonde didn't even waste a single heartbeat before supplying the taller teen with a suitable reply, "Nightmare." he answered with a scratch of his head and a grin set firmly on his features, "I had a nightmare but Kakashi woke me up before it got any worse."

A sigh reached Naruto's ears and he looked up, "Idiot, you gave nearly gave me a heart attack." he joked, but his joke never disguised the panic he had felt when Naruto's blood curdling scream had interrupted his wash in the river.

"S - sorry..." the blonde apologised, shoving his hands in his pockets before laughing to himself, "At least I never got ambushed by zombies..." he said, adding a silent: '_Instead I woke up to Kakashi creeping inches away from my face...then he called me adorable which was slightly creepy...but not too scarring..._'

Sasuke, taking the silence as his time to get back to his 'bath', cleared his throat, "Right, well, I'm going to get back to my bath." he told Naruto, turning and ready to leave when he paused and softly glared at the blonde, "Try and not do anything stupid, blockhead."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the retreating back as he pulled himself up from the ground, dusting his jeans off and going to his draw string bag for some breakfast: his stomach growling heavily for to be fed.

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**Sorry if the paragraph are spaced bit strangely...if they are I will probably go back and fix them!**

**Tell me what you thought of this chapter by reviewing! Again, I'll will declare my undying love for my reviewers and new friends! I LOVE YOU! 3**

**See you all soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again!**

**It feels like it's been a while so I stayed up past my bedtime to finish off this chapter for you all! ^.^**

**I don't know what to think of this chapter and I would like some feed back on it please!**

**I do not own Naruto and if I did then I would probably make Sakura useful by killing her off. I hope there are no Sakura lovers out there reading this and if you are I'm sorry: I just reeeeeaaaaly hate her.**

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Chapter 8

Naruto stared at the kitchen tap for felt like hours when it was only second that had ticked by. When they had left the clearing, Kakashi had convinced them that staying another night in Kusagakure was better than moving straight to Konoha. Much to Naruto's disappointment and surprise, Sasuke had actually agreed with the man despite his obvious uneasy feelings he had with the silver haired man and so - out voted - Naruto and the other two had found a small, two story house: completely void of any human occupation and life. It had been a mess when they had discovered it but after a few hours of Sasuke's compulsive cleaning, Naruto's help - not that it had been appreciated by the raven since Naruto seemed to make the disaster house even worse - and Kakashi's entertained glances: the house was relatively clean.

But that wasn't the reason why Naruto's curious and doubtful persian eyes remained fixed on the tap and he extended a hesitant hand towards the water dispenser. His fingertips had just grazed the cool metal of the tap when Kakashi's voice sounded from behind him, "It works."

Naruto spun around in fright before relaxing when he saw the older man, "H - how?" He asked, remembering back to when he went to the cafe's bathroom and used the tap. He had thought nothing of it at first and didn't question why the water was still running. That was until he had seen the taps in the kitchen and that was when it had hit him - the water shouldn't be working neither should be electricity so the cafe's hot beverage machine shouldn't have worked either! So why had it been working?

Kakashi walked over the kitchen sink and reached around Naruto the turn the tap's four pointed star handle and sure enough the water came out of nozzle. Kakashi watched as Naruto's shocked expression changed to one of awe as he watched the clear running liquid flow steadily, he smiled, "Before the outbreak affected us, an inventor by the name of, Zetsu, created a new substance called Chakra to replace any other fuel. It recycles itself and runs on its own so doesn't need any human supervision!" Kakashi explained as he turned off the tap, "Amazing, don't you think so?"

"Yeah, that guy must have been a genius!" Naruto exclaimed, frowning a little when the water had turned off, "It's been awhile since I've seen running water...and had a shower." he added before spinning to face the masked man, "Hey, Kakashi, does the hot water work too?"

A nod and a single eye-smile from Kakashi answered his inquiry as he gave Naruto a knowing glance, "I'm sure the last occupants wouldn't mind you using their shower." he said, pushing the blonde lightly in the direction of the stairs.

Naruto beamed at the man before changing route to race into the living room, "Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, "I'm going to a shower!" He told the raven who was lounging on the corner sofa in front of the tv.

His head turned at the sound of the blonde's voice and when he saw the cheeky grin the other beamed at him, he raised an eyebrow at Naruto,"Why are you telling me that? You don't want me to join you, do you?" he asked, teasing.

"N - no, in your dreams, bastard!" Was Naruto's retort before adding, "I need your towel!" not bothering to wait for Sasuke's voice of protest before he sprinted out of the living room and up the stairs, the raven in tow; trying to catch the blonde.

Glaring at the runny boy as he took the stairs in twos,"Get your own towel! There are other towels in here - use them!" Sasuke yelled after Naruto, reaching the top of the stairs, "Get away from my bag, idiot! I'm warning you!"

Naruto ran into the room where his and Sasuke's things were and where they were going to be sleeping - a bedroom with two single beds - and instantly zeroed in on the holdall sitting innocently on the other side of the bed closest the door, it's headboard resting against the wall on the door's right.

He was just about to grab for the bag but pale hands shot out - one circling his waist and the other grabbing his wrist - and effectively pushed him stomach first into the bed, Sasuke's chest pressed against the back and he pinned Naruto's body to the bed. Naruto's wrist was pinned at his side and his other arm was crushed between his chest and the bed and due to the extra weight pressed against his body, he couldn't even twist his arm without the bones digging into his chest painfully, "O - ow..." Naruto breathed, a childish whine leaking into his voice as his tried to shift. His head hang off the edge of the bed, the mattress pressed harshly against his throat, making it difficult for his mouth to draw in the panting breaths to his winded lungs.

Sasuke chortled, the vibrations humming against Naruto's back, "I did warn you, idiot." he murmured softly, adjusting his feet that pressed awkwardly and uncomfortably against the carpeted floor, his knees brushing and pushing Naruto's.

"Prick, you could have told me you were going to force me onto the beeeddd -!" Naruto began, but his voice picked up in pitch when Sasuke's arm began to retreat, unintentionally brushing against the skin which had been exposed when his t-shirt had rode up.

Sasuke's whole body froze at the sound which emitted from the tan throat, not being able to stop comparing the sound to that of a girls. His fingers, which still rested against Naruto's lower stomach, twitched experimentally, eliciting yet another squeak from the boy. Sasuke's lips automatically tugged up into devilish simper, "Naruto. You aren't ticklish are you?" he asked, again moving his feather touch against the skin.

Trying to suppress the shaky giggle that threatened to give the obvious answer away, "N - no! N - now get - t off m - me!" He tried to say but the distracting fingers dancing mockingly against his stomach made it difficult to breathe and talk without his body shaking in quivering laughter, "St - stop it!"

Sasuke's lips stretched into a grin, "I think you're lying, Naruto~" He sing-songed in Naruto's ear before he rolled them over so that it was Naruto's back pressed against his stomach as his fingers danced across Naruto's stomach in a tickling frenzy.

Naruto's legs kicked wildly as he struggled to chase away the offending hands causing his painful laughter; his upper body twisting away from Sasuke's form of sick torture and his back arching in different angles as he tried to dodge the hands. His howling and convulsing laughter becoming untamable the longer Sasuke's hands explored different ticklish spots; his sides, armpits and neck being the main targets along with his lower stomach.

"S - s - st - stop - p!" Naruto begged, his voice breaking off for periods of laughter before trying to continue, "T - t - too muc - ch! Fu - uck!" He gasped, wriggling in Sasuke's vise like arms, his laughs becoming sobs as tears ran down his temples and disappeared into his blonde locks as he laughed.

"Stop?" Sasuke asked, his voice mocking surprise as he listened to Naruto's dying laughter, "Are you sure?" He pressed, his hand moving up to tickle Naruto's tan neck softly, causing the boy's head to snap to the left side being attacked by Sasuke's pale digits.

"Y - yes!"

Humming in disapproval, Sasuke reluctantly released the tanned boy, who shot out of Sasuke's hold and to the floor, clutching his stomach to cuddle the dull ache residing there, "Y - your such an asshole..." He muttered, suddenly drained and exhausted.

Sasuke chuckled and sat up, looking the blonde up and down and feeling more amused with the state he had put Naruto in, "I may be an asshole," he began as he stretched back and dug into his holdall, "but at least I'm a nice one." Sasuke finished, throwing his towel at the teen.

Naruto grabbed it and shakily got to his feet, using the wall as support, "Don't do that again."

Chuckling again, Sasuke gave the blonde's sides a quick tickle, "Don't do what? This?" he questioned playfully, earning Naruto edging away from the raven on his tiptoes and pushing his feather fingers away.

"Fuck off!" The blonde growled half-heartedly, turning back to add a glare, "Do that again and I'll break your fingers." he threatened, but Sasuke knew it was purely empty and playful.

With a roll of his black eyes and shake of his head, Sasuke pushed Naruto towards the bathroom, "Shut up and go shower." Not being able to stop the upturn of his lips when Naruto was shut firmly behind the bathroom door.

Totally unaware of the exact same smile gracing Naruto's lips as he shook his head and turned on the shower.

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Awake cornflower eyes gazed out at the darkened sky, the stars that adorned the endless sea of midnight; aiding the crescent moon to create the soft shine that drifted through the window's glass. Dust particles smoothly moved in and out of the only light available, mingling with the air and moving when Naruto's steady breaths stirred their sleepy dance, causing them to swoop frantically from exhale of breath.

Naruto had given up on sleep hours ago. It had taken at least an hour of floating between the boundary of sleep and consciousness for Naruto to come to terms to that fact that his brain wasn't going to let him rest. Instead it plagued him of memories; moments in his life he regretted; times when he had done the wrong thing; parts in his life that he wished he could have changed and fragmented memories of people who were so far away from this world. Every time his eyes closed those people haunted him. Some of them begged, some of them lay mangled on the floor: their bodies beyond helping then there was the others he couldn't save from the hordes of flesh-eating beasts. He could hear their broken voices crying, screaming, cursing and shouting for his help.

Naruto hated them the most. It was those that kept him from sleeping because he knew that if he fell asleep: it would only get worse. Instead of just hearing their pained calls, he would hear the ripping and tearing of their flesh, their blood splattering on the floor, their bones cracking from the sheer power of the hunger-crazed beings and the cracking of their skulls being opened for the main and most anticipated meal. He would see children crying for their parents to stop scaring them - that they could stop joking now because they were taking it too far. He could see husbands killing wives, siblings murdering their own siblings because they were too panicked to realise that their own brothers and sisters weren't going to eat their brains.

He hated them because Naruto couldn't say that it was his imagination play tricks and being downright cruel to him. It was that those loud, ear deafening screeches were real and had actually existed only to die along with their life.

Naruto only knew one ways to get rid of them. It was the one thing able to lull them to sleep. It didn't make them all disappear: but it was the nightmarish memories that would lie dormant because of it.

So with his target in mind, Naruto got out of his bed, looking around the room as he left but not finding it there. He skipped the next room - Kakashi was in there sleeping - and moved to a room two doors down. From the band posters visible through the doorway, a desperate hope overwhelmed him as he slowly crossed the threshold into the bedroom. There were variety of instruments to choose from: drums, keyboard, electric guitar, bass guitar, harmonica and lastly - what Naruto had been searching for - an acoustic guitar. A small smile warmed his lips as he gently picked it up from its resting place by the foot of the bed, testing the weight in his hands as he held it, cuddling it into his frame: the wooden instrument fitting snugly there as he ran a hand up the guitar's neck, feeling the soft wood under his fingertips before taking his prize to the stairs.

His shoes snuck down the wooden stairs, trying their best not to disturb the others as he descended from the second floor.

Since Naruto had done a bit of exploring when they had first came into the house, the blonde had discovered a door leading to the basement beneath the house. It was the perfect place for him to play.

When he reached the white painted door, Naruto softly pushed down on the handle and opened it with ease. Not bothering to close it, the blonde then steadily climbed down the steps until he reached the bottom, not forgetting to turn on the light at the doorway. There was nothing special about the basement: it held a variety of boxes, a few bikes and other things that the previous house owners hadn't felt the need to use or display at the time of their stay.

But it didn't matter to Naruto - he didn't care of the small ornaments wrapped in newspaper, or the christmas decorations in the corner.

He just wanted to play.

So, taking in a tender breath of air, Naruto's fingers naturally strummed the strings to elicit the beautiful music he had longed for.

And in almost an instant, those plaguing cries ceased as the gentle lullaby soothed their pain and torment.

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**So...what do you think? **

**I kind of got carried away in the last chapter and it strayed from the actual plot (they were not meant to camp at that clearing and I'm stupid for not looking at the plan I made *facepalms*), yeah: I'm a stupid and really forgetful person! Haha...**

**Again, to my reviewers: I FRICKIN LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN I LOVE KINDER CHOCOLATE! YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY ABOUT THAT!**

**Seriously, I love Kinder so much that I don't share it with anybody (that includes my papa - who I shared all of my easter eggs with!)**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and I'm going to stop now because I feel like I'm rambling.**

**P.S. I know some of you have been wondering/asking for other character to be in it and JUST SO YOU KNOW there WILL be other characters in this fic but I'm not having all of them in it. BUT I bring potential good news: I might write a sequel after this and it will have more characters in it. HOWEVER, the bad news is: there will be character death (I didn't mention this before since I thought it was pretty obvious, you know it being a zombie fic and all). I hope I haven't crushed your dreams of your favourite character appearing but I there are only going to be a selected few in Dead. Sorry.**

**P.P.S. I got a thingy-mijig about how the power, electricity, water ect are still working and this Chakra idea came to me when I was half-awake and half-asleep (usually when I could up with random things) and this popped into my head and I was like "Hey! This could work (maybe)" so: TADAA! If you have any theories to add to my theories or questions ask!**

**BYE BYE! .**


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